The David City Diamonds huddle up before taking the field during
Thursday's game against Crete. The Diamonds went 10-0 against
Conference opponents and finished the season with a Conference
Championship.

News

featured

New store focuses on animal needs

Larry
/ LARRY PEIRCE
The Banner-Press

07.13.17

LARRY PEIRCE/THE BANNER-PRESS

Adam Rerucha, owner of D.C. Feed, stands next to newly stocked
shelves in the store that occupies the former Knights of Columbus
Hall on Fourth Street.

LARRY PEIRCE/THE BANNER-PRESS

The front of the former Knights of Columbus Hall bears the names
of products sold at a new local business, D.C. Feeds. Owner Adam
Rerucha said that the store will strive to keep its prices
competitive so area animal owners will keep their dollars in the
community.

Adam Rerucha will embark on a retail adventure this week in David City.

After months of preparation, he has spent the last few days stocking the shelves of his new store, D.C. Feeds, at 517 N. Fourth St., the former Knights of Columbus Hall at the corner of Fourth and E streets.

The former home of countless bingo games, pancake feeds, wedding dinners and other celebrations will now provide animal feed for people who have dogs, cats, sheep, horses and cattle.

Even though he had hauled in several loads of feed bags, he marveled at how much room he still had to fill.

Other farm work supplies such as gloves and boots, and animal supplies such as dog leashes and other needs, could be next for the store as it builds its customer base, Rerucha said. Hubbard Feeds in Columbus is the store’s supplier. Rerucha said he will use competitive prices and excellent service, including off-hour availability, to build his business.

Rerucha said that animal owners already know their feed needs, and he’s providing products they currently drive out of town to get. His research showed that many of the customers shopping for feed in Columbus were from Butler County.

The store will help keep retail dollars in David City, he said.

“Instead of going to Columbus, I’m bringing them to town,” he said, adding that the visitors will have a ripple effect on other businesses. “Then they’ll go to Didiers, to Dales, to the gas station.”

Rerucha said that while he focuses on getting the store up and running, he will continue to operating his other businesses, DC Tire Co. and David City Home Improvement. The day to day operations of the store will be handled by Bev Mousel of Columbus, who is relocating to David City.

The store occupies the north half of the Wolfe Building, which was was sold in October 2014 by the Knights’Tihen Council to developer Monte Froelich of Columbus.

Before the Knight’s 45-year run as a weekly bingo hall and social event center, the building housed a department store for decades. The building housed First National Bank but was converted to apartments and businesses in 1938 and became known as the Wolfe Building named for longtime bank president Thomas Wolfe.

Although the south end of the building would require extensive upgrades, the building has been described as one of the most solid structures in David City.

Rerucha emigrated from Iraq in 1996 and moved to David City, where he married Angela Rerucha and took her last name. The couple has four sons: Andrew, 22, Aden, 9, Amir, 7 and Adam, 4.

Aden and Amir have been helping their father get the store ready for opening. They also are learning the animal side of the business by raising calves at the Rerucha farm north of David City.

“I like to teach my kids to work and show them where money comes from,” he said. “You have to work hard to make their money.”

Asked about the challenge of opening a new business, Rerucha said the key to success was being committed to working hard.

“I believe it and I can make it happen. I’m not afraid of work, work is scared of me,” he said. “I try and God will help me.”

The store opening is planned for Friday, and Rerucha said he welcomes visitors to the Butler County Fair to stop by and see his products.

D.C. Feeds Information

D.C. Feeds is located at 517 N. Fourth Street. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with hours extended to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. The phone number is 402-367-9788, and during off hours, it will ring over to Rerucha’s phone so that he can help customers in emergencies.

News

David City school administrator injured

Larry
/ LARRY PEIRCE
The Banner-Press

07.09.17

Chad Fuller

The family of Chad Fuller, the assistant principal at David City High School, has received an outpouring of support and concern after Fuller was critically injured Saturday in an accident at a lake near St. Paul.

Fuller was with family at his brother's home on Lake of the Woods, Rusty Fuller said on social media. He was injured sliding head-first into the water. Emergency responders took Fuller to CHI St. Francis in Grand Island, where he underwent several hours of surgery after suffering a broken neck.

On Sunday afternoon, Superintendent Chad Denker said David City school administrators had notified staff about the incident. A message to school patrons was delayed out of respect for the Fuller family.

Denker confirmed reports that Fuller suffered a broken neck.

“Unfortunately, he is currently paralyzed from the neck down as a result,” Denker said in the note to staff. “The doctors do not know the long-term prognosis at this time, but know it will be a long recovery.”

Denker said he and Bellwood Elementary Principal Dani Beerbohm were traveling to Grand Island today to visit the Fuller family.

The support expressed to the Fuller family came from across the state because of Chad's involvement in coaching. Fuller was hired as assistant principal at David City High School in 2014 after former Principal Bill Lentz retired, and Cortney Couch moved up to the principal position. Fuller was a teacher and coach at Syracuse before coming to David City.